1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a contactless power transferring apparatus that transfers power using electromagnetic induction via a contactless power transferring coil when charging a secondary cell incorporated in a small mobile terminal such as a mobile phone unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
An existing system that transfers charging power for charging a secondary cell incorporated in a mobile terminal, for example, via a contactless power transferring coil using electromagnetic induction is known.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-60998 discloses a construction where contactless power transferring is carried out between a primary coil provided in a cradle and a secondary coil provided in a mobile telephone (see FIG. 1 and FIG. 2). The cradle has an enclosure portion with an opening in which the mobile telephone is set, and a primary coil is provided in a base portion of the enclosure portion for transferring power in a contactless manner. The mobile telephone includes a secondary coil in a case base portion thereof. When the mobile telephone is charged using such constructions, the mobile telephone is inserted into the opening in the enclosure portion of the cradle from above. By doing so, the primary coil of the enclosure portion of the cradle and the secondary coil at the case base portion of the mobile telephone become positioned facing one another and in this state, it becomes possible to carry out contactless power transferring between the primary coil of the cradle and the secondary coil of the mobile telephone.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-47180 also discloses a construction for carrying out contactless power transferring between a primary coil provided in a charger and a secondary coil provided in an electric appliance, such as a mobile telephone (see FIG. 1 to FIG. 3). The charger includes a support portion constructed so as to surround a trunk portion of the electric appliance and a primary coil is provided inside this support portion. The electric appliance is provided with a secondary coil that becomes positioned facing the primary coil inside the support portion when the electric appliance has been mounted on the support portion of the charger. According to these constructions, when the electric appliance is charged, the electric appliance is held within the support portion of the charger. By doing so, the primary coil inside the support portion of the charger and the secondary coil of the electric appliance become positioned facing one another, and in this state, it becomes possible to carry out contactless power transferring between the primary coil of the charger and the secondary coil of the electric appliance.
In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H11-40206 discloses a construction that carries out contactless power transferring between a primary coil provided in a charger and a secondary coil provided in a mobile electric appliance such as a mobile telephone (see FIG. 1 and FIG. 4). The charger includes an attachment portion to which the mobile electric appliance is attached at a fixed position and is provided with a flat coil, produced by winding a wire in a spiral inside the attachment portion, as a primary coil. The mobile electric appliance is provided with a secondary coil at a position that faces the primary coil inside the attachment portion when the mobile electric appliance is attached to the attachment portion of the charger. The secondary coil of the mobile electric appliance is also formed of a flat coil produced by winding a wire in a spiral. According to these constructions, when the mobile electric appliance is charged, the mobile electric appliance is attached to the attachment portion of the charger. By doing so, the primary coil inside the attachment portion of the charger and the secondary coil of the mobile electric appliance become positioned facing one another, and in this state, it becomes possible to carry out contactless power transferring between the primary coil of the charger and the secondary coil of the mobile electric appliance.